Greater Minnesota Tribal Transit Vehicle Grant

The Greater Minnesota Tribal Transit Vehicle Grant provides financial assistance to purchase a transit vehicle to enhance Tribal transit programs in Greater Minnesota. This capital grant program supports replacement and/or expansion of transit vehicles. State funding will be used for this grant opportunity administered by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

For 2024, we're apportioning $500,000 in Minnesota State General Revenue funds for Tribal Transit Vehicle Replacement/Rehabilitation. Grant awards will be made up to $150,000 and costs will be split 90/10. Additional local funding support may be required if funding does not cover 100% of the cost of the proposed activity.

Timeline

Feb. 1, 2024: Application period opens
Feb. 16, 2024: Application guidance webinar
March 15, 2024: Applications deadline
April 15, 2024: Selected projects published

Eligibility

Organization eligibility

Eligible applicant: Tribal Governments receiving operating funds from Federal Transit Administration in Greater Minnesota is eligible to receive financial assistance through this grant opportunity.
Eligible activity: capital assistance to purchase public transit vehicles.

To be eligible, applicants must have an FTA-approved Transit Asset Management plan and clearly describe their vehicle capital need.

Vehicle eligibility

Eligible projects are limited to Class 300, 400 and 500 size vehicles. Vehicles that are proposed to be equipped with a lift assist compliant with the Americans and Disabilities Act (ADA) will receive additional points.

Expansion vehicles (also described as "New"): Any vehicle that is not under a current grant agreement with MnDOT.
Replacement vehicles: Any vehicles to replace a vehicle or is currently funded under a FTA funds.

Application period

This solicitation is now closed. Applications were due on March 15, 2024.

After you apply

We'll publish the selected projects on April 15, 2024.
We'll contact you with instructions to enter into a grant agreement.

More information

Grant Agreements will be awarded based on the Statewide Review Committee’s recommendation upon evaluation of each application. To evaluate applications, the Statewide Review Committee will utilize the criteria for scoring applications described in the section “2024 Application Instructions and Project Selection Criteria”

The Statewide Review Committee includes, but is not limited to, representatives of MnDOT OTAT project managers; MnDOT OTAT programming staff and MnDOT Tribal Liaison (or appointee).

Need for the vehicle
- accessibility
- vehicle utilization
Description of proposed use
- People served
- Increased service coverage area
Transit system’s financial commitment to the project

Scoring criteria

Criteria	Points
ADA compliant	10 – fully ADA compliant 0 – not accessible
Vehicle utilization (miles)	10 – 15,001 miles annually or more 5 – 15,000 miles annually 3 - 10,000 miles annually 0 - less than 10,000 miles annually
Vehicle utilization (days per week)	10 – 5 days per week 5 – 3+ days per week 3 – 1 to 2 days per week 0 - less than 1 day per week
Anticipated rides served per hour	10 – 2+ rides per hr. 5 – 1 ride per hr. 3 - .5 ride per hr. 0 – less than .5 rides per hr.
Increased service coverage area	10 – 30% or more 5 –15%-29% 3 – 5-14% increase 0 – no increase in service coverage area
Transit system’s financial commitment to the project	10 – 50% or more 5 – 25-49% 3 – 11%-24% 0 - 10%

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. 13.03, subd. 1, all government data collected, created, received, maintained or disseminated by a government entity shall be public unless classified by statute, or temporary classification pursuant to section 13.06, or federal law, as nonpublic or protected nonpublic, or with respect to data on individuals, as private or confidential. The responsible authority in every government entity shall keep records containing government data in such an arrangement and condition as to make them easily accessible for convenient use. Photographic, photostatic, microphotographic, or microfilmed records shall be considered as accessible for convenient use regardless of the size of such records.